The school bus came to a stop outside of the shopping mall, and instantly the bus was brimming with energy. It was one of those day trips that the Mansion often took, so that the students and inhabitants had a chance to get the supplies. Chase kicked his legs excitedly, elbowing Toby lightly as they stopped.

"You ever been to a mall?" Chase asked his twin.

Toby, formerly Delta Seven, pried his eyes from the window and glanced at Chase.

"Once or twice," he murmured.

But never for shopping. It was almost always for tailing mutants to bag and tag.

Both boys had crisp twenty dollar bills in their pockets, which they had earned by doing chores for Mama and Papa, and were eager to spend them.

They waited for the crowd of students to disembark, then filed off, joining the crowd.

"Alright, ladies and gents," one of the chaperones declared, "We will meet at the food court at one, which gives you three hours, to start."

Chase grinned at his brother, bobbling with excitement.

"Remember to be on your best behavior, and to stay with your groups!"

Chase smiled, skimming the crowd for his cousin. They'd totally lucked out in the chaperone department. Younger students were either paired with adults or with older students... And they'd gotten Mari to volunteer as a chaperone! This would be so cool! If they could find her, that is. Toby wrapped his sleeve-clad arms around his brother's, not wanting to risk getting separated. Ah, there she was! In their excitement, they'd nearly left her behind.

"Mari!" Chase called-out, pulling Toby along, all smiles. The best thing about today was that he was gonna use his money to get new clothes... Cute ones! Like a skirt, at least, "Are you ready?"

Marisol had promised Chase that she would take her cousin shopping for clothes should the day ever come when they felt they wanted to explore their options. While Chase had not yet taken her up on it, but they were going to be at the mall together, so Mari was ready for the possibility.

The Mansion was planning a day trip to the mall and they were looking for people to keep an eye on younger students. Marisol was hesitant about the idea on multiple fronts: she was an adapted among mutants, and worried she would be a problem. Gemma, thankfully, assured her that she would be able to keep a safe distance from the few students who would have real issues around her. The other problem was the mall; shopping could be nice, but malls had a ton of people, and crowds were not Marisol’s forte.

Still, at the end of the day, it was a great excuse to find time to spend with Chase and the newly adopted doppelganger, Toby. She was very curious what the alternate version of Chase would end up being like. She did not know much, but she knew Toby had a rough life and a complicated past on the other side, so she decided she would be patient with him.

Looking around the group, Marisol spotted Chase and Toby approaching and smiled. ”Hey you two! Don’t forget to stay a few feet away,” she reminded. They did not need to cause a scene in the mall, and crowds could react poorly to two ropey-skinned mutant children. ”I’m ready! But it’s your trip! Do you know what kind of shop you want to hit first?”

>> "Hey you two! Don't forget to stay a few feet away!"

Chase paused, glancing at Toby. The two would, at this point, be indistinguishable. The former had lended a ball cap to the latter, which meant that Toby was currently pretending to be Chase, and therefore identical.

"Mari's an Adapted, like Mama," Chase explained, "She'd drop our human faces in a heartbeat."

Toby's lips thinned, but he said nothing.

>> "I'm ready! But it's your trip. Do you know what kind nof shop you want to hit first?"

Toby shook his head wordlessly.

"Pop Subject!" Chase proclaimed, over-eager.

Pop Subject only had the had the coolest, edgiest clothes available, complete with plenty of pop culture tees to choose from. They probably had some really cool skirts to choose from, too.

"I'm okay with Pop Subject," Toby agreed. Mari would, of course, make the final verdict, since she was the eldest and their chaperone.

It was complicated being related to mutants; Mari wondered how much harder Gemma had it since her time with Tío Jorge and Chase was not limited to occasional visits. Chase handled it in stride, but Toby, who looked exactly like a more nervous Chase, seemed less sure about her presence.

The options for what to try on were laid out for Chase since it was his, well, their(?) day really, and the younger mutant settled on Pop Subject. Marisol immediately laughed at the answer before clapping her hand over her mouth. Okay, so Pop Subject was not her style, but that did not mean she had to judge. Chase was young and coming up with a style, so it was important Marisol was supportive and unrestrictive.

"Okay then, you two," she affirmed, clasping her hands together, "I guess Pop Subject it is, then! Though I get final say on if something is appropriate or not for you to buy." The edge was strong with Pop Subject, and there were some edgy t-shirts she did not need to explain later to her uncle.

The older cousin let the young mutants take the lead so she could keep an eye on them while allowing them a compulsory six foot lead. It was a shame their natural faces would cause such a fuss at the mall, but she was there to be considerate of the best ways to keep her cousins safe.

"So Toby, have any hopes to find something exciting to wear? Cool? Handsome? Cute?" Toby was living with her family now, so she wanted to make an effort to get to know the doppelganger and make them feel welcome. She also wanted to leave the door open that Chase and Toby might be going through the same identity questions.

Marisol laughed at the proclamation, which quelled Chase's eagerness only slightly. He didn't really understand what she was laughing about, but it still earned the puffed cheeks of disapproval. He even furrowed his brow a little. Was she going to veto it?

>> "Okay then, you two. I guess Pop Subject it is, then! Though I get final say on if something is appropriate or not for you to buy."

Chase nodded, blowing the air from his puffed cheeks, "O-kay!"

So what were they waiting for!? It was time to go shopping! Chase took the lead, striding confidently through the double doors and down the first main avenue of shops. He knew the mall well, better than Toby anyways (and maybe better than Mari, since he'd been living there longer)... and he was happy to show the way. He felt when he crossed the threshold of Mari's aura, becuase his tendrils snapped into place like a tensed muscle, quickly drawing the human guise up over his features. Niiiice.

Toby, decidedly less self-conscious about how he looked (and also less adept at free-form shifting), remained well within Mari's aura, only a foot or two ahead of her. He kept a careful gaze pointed outwards, watching Chase, but also watching the crowds that churned around them. He knew a good many SUPER operatives, and would lunge into action if entirely necessary.

>> "So Toby, have any hopes to find something exciting to wear? Cool? Handsome? Cute?"

It was hard to watch their surroundings while also conversing. But Toby's ettiquette lessons taught him that it was rude to ignore people you knew... and really only socially acceptable to ignore rude people... and Marisol was just being nice. Toby glanced at Marisol with a gaze that lingered in the neighborhood of an uncertain yellow.

"Not really," he replied, "I don't really want to spend Mama's money. It feels weird."

Currency was a foreign concept to him. He'd never used or interacted with money when he'd worked for SUPER. But he understood that sometimes people had bounties placed on them, and that operatives would get money for those bounties. Money was earned. Not shared. And Mama had shared her money.

Maybe that was a weird thing to say, though! Toby felt himself quickly becoming self-conscious. He was taking the etiquette classes so that he could be more like a normal thirteen-year-old, and here he was, saying weird things.

"I-if I had to spend it, though, I'd probably get something... cool!" he said quickly. Chase said that word a lot-- "cool"-- so it had to be a good thing. Toby quickly glanced after Chase, and saw that he was climbing onto an escalator to head upstairs.


"You guys are slowpokes!" the more audacious human-shifter hollered from the ascending staircase, cupping his hands around his mouth, "I'm gonna win the race!"

Whether or not he had announced that this was a "race" in the first place was besides the point. The point was that he was winning!

Life back in California was an important time of Marisol’s life. She loved the west coast and her time studying at the school of performing arts there helped shape her and develop her as a person, actress, and dancer. That did not make her life perfect. She loved her mother, but she did not have many true friends in California, and their family was spread between Florida and New York. The east coast was not perfect, but it was comforting to have actual family to get to know. The changelings were not blood relatives, but they were still unquestionably family.

The two “Chases” were so distinctly different in their actions. Chase was confidently striding forward, leading their pack. The young shapeshifter always had that air about him; like he knew the world and was waiting for everyone to catch up. Toby, meanwhile, was still obviously apprehensive in such a public place. He stuck close to Marisol, despite her effect on his appearance. Mari would rather the boy stay further ahead since it would cause fewer people to give him leery looks, but she also did not want to send the message that he could not be himself. She let him stay close and just targeting her resting bitch face at anyone looking uncomfortably at Toby.

Toby was not a very social creature and Marisol could relate, but while the dancer was working on becoming more open and outgoing, Toby could afford to take steps in that direction. He was initially tight-lipped about his intentions, but seemed to think on it and make up his mind. For as odd as the young boy could seem, his answer was quintessentially “thirteen-year-old boy.” He wanted to look cool. She could respect that choice, even if it sounded possibly parroted. ”Great! Chasey can look cute and you can look cool. I’m excited to see.”

Chase was already focused on running a “race” ahead, which forced Marisol to call out, reminding him, ”Stay where I can see you, punk! Besides, we don’t know where everything is!” Though in truth, she could already spot the sign for Pop Subject off in the distance. She looked to Toby, who was still sticking close. ”Gonna join the brat in their racing?”

The more impish of the two boys grinned when Marisol scolded him. That's exactly what someone who was losing would say. Chase knew where Pop Subject was, he could see it! And if Marisol couldn't see it or him, she'd just have to move faster. Chase ran off like a shot, though his escape was mostly impeded by the thick crowd that surged around him. Despite his best efforts, catching-up would be no problem.

Toby showed no indication of joining the race to the store, as it was his first time at the mall, too. (At least, his first time at the mall, to shop... and in this universe...)

>> ”Gonna join the brat in their racing?”

Toby shook his head, "You?"

Chase was almost to the entrance of the store, and he glanced back to scope-out where Mari and Toby were. They were just coming up off of the elevator, and if Chase could see them, they could probably see him, too. Chase stood to one side of the entrance, bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement.

Marisol believed some aspects of a person were ingrained in their DNA or set at birth; there were just too many things people could not change about their personalities or who they were as people. Still, Chase and Toby were a great argument for nature versus nurture. She wondered, if the two children switched lives, would Toby be the one running excitedly through the crowd?

Toby was not going to join the race, and Marisol agreed. ”Nah, let Chasey win. We’ll get there soon enough.” Marisol was not the type to make a scene in a mall; scenes were for the stage.

They did end up meeting Chase at the door and entered into the shop. There were plenty of pop-culture inspired items on display, and clothing of different styles available. She was curious to see what styles the doppelgangers might gravitate to with so many options. ”Okay kids, don’t run off where I can’t see you, but take a look at some clothes. I’ll be around for opinions, questions, or if you cause trouble. Please don’t do the last one,” she added hastily, not wanting to screw up the rare chaperoning appearance.

Chase was practically reverberating with impatience when his cousin and his doppelganger finally arrived at the door to Pop Subject, fidgeting impatiently. When his two relatives finally joined him, he was all but ready to bolt before Mari halted them to lay some ground-rules. Okay, okay. Stay in Mari's line of sight, don't run off, she was there for whatever. Okay, trouble.

"Mari, we're thirteen!" Chase reminded his cousin. As if that precluded Chase and Toby from finding trouble, "We know how to act in a store!" At least, in a group as small as this. Chase didn't need to prove how cool he was to Toby, so there was no need to act like a peacock or a fool.

Chase tugged at his doppelganger's wrist, gesturing for him to follow him past the wall of shelving that hosted t-shirts, and the siren call of accessories on the rotating displays. The eager human-shifter cut towards the back of the store, plunging into the thrumming punk music. Toby did not follow, distracted by the pins, toys, and sundry of crap by the registers. He'd never seen such multicolored and pointless things.

Chase's eyes seemed to illuminate with excitment when he spied the wall of dresses and strappy skirts. He glanced over his shoulder, spying Mari. She didn't seem to be looking his way at that moment. The shapehsifter ran his hand over a dress, clutching at the hem of its skirt and fanning it. It was black, with a "T" neckline and a mesh back. Too fancy. He moved down the rack. This is why he was here.

Toby, all the while, found a lethargic looking fried egg which, when squeezed, deflated-- but, when he opened his hand, it resumed its previous shape.

"Mari?" Toby asked, turning to face her with the strange squishy egg in his palm, "What's the purpose of this?"

Chasey was a sweet kid, but they were also excitable and full of energy. Yes, they were thirteen, but now that she was nearing eighteen herself, she realized exactly how young thirteen still felt. It was the perfect age to have all the energy of a child and the burgeoning sense of mischief that came with adolescence.

She trusted the pair, but Chase’s indignation was unfounded; she heard the reports of his water balloon antics at the Mansion. He could talk about being mature, but she was going to be keeping a close eye on him. She was a chaperone, and if the twins got into trouble, that was going to reflect on her.

No sooner had they walked into the store did the two split up to look at different things. Marisol did her best to position herself where she could keep an eye on both of them. And maybe a skirt. Admittedly, there was something appealing and classical about a plaid skirt. It brought to mind some of the costume choices made when they were getting ready for Heathers, and she actually enjoyed—

>> "Mari? What's the purpose of this?"

The older teenager looked up, realizing she had gotten distracted by the clothes of the store. Her lack of experience as a responsible chaperone was clearly showing, but she ran over to Toby regardless. The young boy found a comical little egg he kept squeezing and releasing, and Marisol had to analyze it to decide on what it was, though she was not one-hundred percent certain. ”I’m pretty sure it’s like a stress ball? I could be wrong, but I think that’s it. They’re little squishy items that people use to squeeze in their hands. I think it’s supposed to be good to exert the energy when you’re stressed or frustrated, then relax.” She was mostly making assumptions, but it sounded close, and made her want to search the internet for the theory behind stress balls.

Toby ponderously squished the apathetic egg again-- a few times for safe measure-- as Marisol explained its purpose. It was a really silly looking thing. A rare smile barely surfaced on his face. It wasn't shaped like a ball. But it was fun to squish.

"I like it," he announced, replacing the egg so that he could dig for more squishy things. How fun was this?! Maybe he'd buy a "stress ball" rather than... whatever Chase was looking for.

Speaking of Chase... the crown of his head had vanished behind numerous racks and displays, and he was hunched over in order to comb through various skirts that were hung on the rack. Oooh, that one was galaxy print. What size was he, even? Did it matter? Chase tucked one into his arms, furtive eyes glancing over his shoulder, as if he expected Marisol to come around the corner at any minute. Well-- he kind of did, and with good reason. Chase returned to scouring the skirts. This one had mesh with stars on it, over a black underskirt. Cute! He grabbed that one, too. Ooh, and the lavender circle skirt!

If Toby upheld his end of the deal, Chase could probably even sneak into the dressing room to try these skirts on. Only if Toby kept Marisol distracted, though. Chase stood back up on tiptoes, sweeping the room for his cousin. She'd caught him trying-on her clothes before, but... this was different. This skirt would be his and his alone.

"Which do you think is the best?" Toby asked Marisol, having amassed a collection of four different super-deformed squishy characters, food, and the likes.

It was nice to see Toby taking a liking to something, regardless of how silly it was. The boy struggled to connect with aspects of civilian life after his upbringing. If squishy toys made him happy, she’d gladly support it.

She looked at the selection of squishies Toby narrowed down to, considering each one. ”Hmm, well, if you like the egg, it could probably use a friend. Maybe the happy bacon? Oh, and the little piglet is cute!” She smiled, before the smile faded. ”Though it may be inappropriate to get the bacon and the piglet.” Could you be cruel to a stress ball toy?

”I think it’s best if you decide what you like most,” Marisol affirmed, standing up straight to stretch. She surveyed the shop with a cursory glance. No Chase. That was… disconcerting. She was close to the door, so she was relatively confident he had not slipped out. Then again, if he shapeshifted… no. Her aura would keep that from getting by her.

Marisol smiled at her cousin’s doppelganger. ”While you make your big choice, I think I’m gonna check and make sure Chase is doing okay. Don’t run off, okay?” Toby was not exactly like her cousin, and sometimes that was good: she could trust Toby not to vanish on her.